Lists of Symptoms of CFIDS

The following list of symptoms is grouped into three general
categories with approximate percentages of PWCs [person with CFIDS,
or CFS] who experience them. These percentages are based upon
information reported by Drs. Bell, Cheney, Fudenberg, Goldstein,
Jessop, Komaroff, Peterson, and two surveys (Kansas City and Phoenix). Grouping symptoms into categories
is done for convenience. It is likely that all symptoms are related
to neuroimmune dysfunction.

These figures represent a range of percentages of reported symptoms
in different studies. Patients do not necessarily experience these
symptoms all the time. In most cases only one-third to one-half of
those reporting individual symptoms indicated that they experienced
the symptom at all times. In my survey of the Phoenix area group,
figures were compiled to indicate the average total number of
symptoms experienced all of the time (11 symptoms) and the average
total number of symptoms experienced by each patient some of the time
(18.6 symptoms).

PWCs may experience symptoms other than those listed above. Some of
the symptoms reported may have been experienced prior to the onset of
CFIDS in a milder or different form. Additionally, other illnesses
or conditions may exist simultaneously with CFIDS, complicating the
diagnostic problems and often causing lack of clarity as to which
symptoms are attributable to which conditions.